To find the resolution of an image on a Windows PC, right-click the file in File Explorer, choose Properties, and open the Details tab. Under the Image heading, Dimensions shows the resolution in pixels, width first (for example 6000 x 4000), and the Width and Height lines repeat it. Those pixel dimensions are the image’s real resolution. The Horizontal and Vertical resolution lines below them show a DPI number, which only affects print size.
That takes about five seconds. The rest of this page covers faster ways to see the resolution of many files at once, how to check it in Paint, the Photos app and photo editors, how to read the numbers you find, and how to tell whether a file is big enough to print or post.
Five ways to check image resolution in Windows
1. File Properties (every version of Windows)
- Find the image in File Explorer.
- Right-click it and choose Properties (or select it and press Alt+Enter).
- Click the Details tab.
- Scroll to the Image section and read Dimensions, Width, Height, Horizontal resolution, Vertical resolution and Bit depth.
Further down the same tab, the Camera section shows the camera settings stored in the file, if there are any. That stored information is called EXIF data, and viewing EXIF data on a PC covers the rest of it.
2. Hover or use the Details pane
Hold the mouse pointer over an image file in File Explorer and a tooltip usually shows its Dimensions. For a steadier view, turn on the Details pane (press Alt+Shift+P, or find Details pane in File Explorer’s View menu). Click any image and its dimensions appear in the pane on the right, without opening anything.
3. Add a Dimensions column to see many files at once
When you need the resolution of a whole folder, switch File Explorer to the Details view, right-click any column heading, choose More, check Dimensions (and Width and Height if you want them separately), and click OK. Every image in the folder now lists its pixel size, and you can click the column heading to sort by it. This is the quickest way to find the small files in a folder before sending a set to a lab.
4. Paint or the Photos app
Open the image in Paint and the status bar at the bottom of the window shows its size in pixels. For more detail, open Image properties from the File menu (Ctrl+E), which lists width, height and the stored resolution. In the Photos app, open the image and choose file information from the menu or the info button to see its dimensions.
5. A photo editor
In Photoshop, choose Image > Image Size (Alt+Ctrl+I) to see width and height in pixels and the print size at the current resolution. This is also where you resize an image or set its print size. In Lightroom Classic, the Metadata panel in the Library module lists Dimensions for the original and Cropped for the size after any crop, which is the number that matters for export. Other editors have an equivalent image-size or canvas-size dialog.
Checking resolution on a Mac, a phone or a web page
Mac: select the file in Finder and press Cmd+I; the More Info section shows Dimensions. The steps for Preview and Finder are on how to find the resolution of an image on a Mac.
Phone or tablet: open the photo in the gallery app and swipe up, or tap the info (i) button or Details in the menu. Most gallery apps show the pixel dimensions and the megapixel count there.
An image on a web page: right-click the image and open it in a new tab. Many browsers show the pixel dimensions in the tab title. If yours does not, save the image and check it with any method above. A picture displayed small on a page may be a much larger file underneath, or a small one stretched to fit.
How to read the numbers
Dimensions are the width and height in pixels. This is the image’s resolution in the sense that matters: how much detail the file holds. A file listed as 6000 x 4000 is 6000 pixels wide and 4000 pixels tall. If the first number is smaller, the picture is in portrait orientation.
Megapixels are width times height divided by one million. 6000 x 4000 is 24,000,000 pixels, or 24 megapixels. Windows does not show this number, but the arithmetic is quick, and the megapixel table lists common sizes.
Horizontal and vertical resolution (DPI) is a number stored in the file that tells printing software how many pixels to place per inch. Common values are 72, 96, 240 and 300. It does not change the detail in the file, and two copies of the same photo with different DPI values are identical on screen. The difference between DPI and PPI is explained in DPI vs PPI.
Bit depth is how many bits describe each pixel’s color. A normal 8-bit-per-channel color image shows 24 here; 48 means 16 bits per channel. It affects how smoothly tones can be edited, not the resolution. See bit depth for more.
File size on disk (in KB or MB) is not resolution either. Compression and file format change it a great deal, so a small JPEG can have more pixels than a large PNG. Image resolution and file sizes shows how the two relate.
Is the resolution high enough?
For print, divide each pixel dimension by the pixels per inch you want to print at. 300 PPI is the usual target for prints seen at arm’s length or closer; 150 to 200 PPI is often fine for larger prints viewed from farther away. The table below is computed at 300 PPI and 150 PPI.
| Pixel dimensions | Megapixels | Print size at 300 PPI | Print size at 150 PPI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 x 1080 | 2.1 | 6.4 x 3.6 in | 12.8 x 7.2 in |
| 3000 x 2000 | 6 | 10 x 6.7 in | 20 x 13.3 in |
| 4032 x 3024 | 12.2 | 13.4 x 10.1 in | 26.9 x 20.2 in |
| 6000 x 4000 | 24 | 20 x 13.3 in | 40 x 26.7 in |
| 8256 x 5504 | 45.4 | 27.5 x 18.3 in | 55 x 36.7 in |
To work it out in centimeters, divide the pixels by the PPI and multiply by 2.54. A 6000-pixel side at 300 PPI is 20 inches, or about 50.8 cm. The print size calculator does the arithmetic for any file.
For screens, compare the image’s pixel dimensions with the space it will fill. A full HD screen is 1920 x 1080 pixels, and a 4K screen is 3840 x 2160, so a photo 4000 pixels wide already fills either one edge to edge. Most websites and social platforms resize uploads to a few thousand pixels or less on the long side, so a very large file gains nothing there.
Getting a file ready for a lab? Preparing photos for print covers sizing, sharpening and color for print.
Why your photo’s resolution may be lower than expected
- It was cropped. Every crop throws pixels away. A 24-megapixel photo cropped to half its width and height is 6 megapixels. See cropping for how to plan for it.
- It was sent through a messaging app or email. Many apps and mail programs shrink photos to save data unless you choose to send the original or full size.
- It was downloaded from social media. Platforms store reduced copies, so a downloaded photo is rarely the original resolution.
- It was exported small. Editing software exports at whatever size the export settings say, often a web size. Check the resize options and export again from the original.
- The camera was set to a smaller image size. Many cameras and phones offer medium and small JPEG sizes, and some phones use a lower setting by default. Check the image size or resolution setting in the camera menu.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Reading the DPI number as the resolution. A file can say 300 DPI and still be too small to print, because only the pixel dimensions set the detail.
- Raising the DPI to make a small image “high resolution”. This changes the print size the file asks for, not the detail in it.
- Judging resolution from file size in megabytes. Format and compression change file size far more than they change pixel count.
- Upsizing a small image and expecting new detail. Enlarging adds pixels by interpolation, which smooths the picture rather than sharpening it. Dedicated super resolution tools do better, but they still guess at detail that was never captured.
- Checking a thumbnail or a preview instead of the original file. Check the file you will actually print or send.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know the resolution of an image?
Look at its pixel dimensions. On Windows, right-click the file, choose Properties, then Details, and read Dimensions. On a Mac, select it and press Cmd+I. On a phone, open the photo and swipe up or tap the info button.
How do I find the resolution of many photos at once?
In File Explorer’s Details view, right-click a column heading, choose More and check Dimensions. Every image in the folder then shows its pixel size, and you can sort by it.
What is the difference between resolution and DPI?
Resolution in pixels is the actual detail in the file and is fixed when the photo is taken or resized. DPI is only an instruction for how large to print those pixels; changing it does not change the detail.
Why does Windows show 96 or 72 DPI for my photo?
That is the value the camera, phone or software wrote into the file, or a default. It says nothing about quality. Set the print resolution you want when you print or export.
What resolution do I need to print?
Aim for about 300 pixels per inch at your intended print size. A 24-megapixel file (6000 x 4000) prints at 20 by 13.3 inches at 300 PPI, and larger prints viewed from a distance can use less.